There is Someone Who Touches My Life
by Myste-maus
Summary: Summary: In which Javert receives a gift from a mysterious woman. Disclaimer: Does not belong to me or mine.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: In which Javert receives a gift from a mysterious woman.

Disclaimer: Does not belong to me or mine.

A frown had lodged itself firmly upon the lips of Inspector Javert as he examined the package in his hands, delivered not five minutes ago by a street urchin whose face he distantly recalled. It had been given to him by a nice lady, the boy had said when questioned on the matter, and she had told him to take it to a policeman by the name of Javert. Well, he was told, everyone on the street knew that name, so it had been simple to do as she asked. Unsatisfied with the answer, Javert told him to get out nonetheless and was left staring at the parcel, a million and one questions tumbling through his head.

Who was this lady that had sent the package? Why had she sent it? What did she want from him? _Did_ she even want something from him? If she did, why couldn't she have simply come down to the prefecture and spoken to him herself, instead of sending this parcel? If she didn't, why send it? Ultimately, it all came down to the package.

There was nothing particularly remarkable about it; it was wrapped in what appeared to be writing paper, although rather thin and fine paper, and bound with a piece of white ribbon. The strangest thing that could be said about it was that it radiated a vaguely herbal aroma, tinged with something sweet, like honey. Otherwise, it was rather plain.

His frown deepened. Perhaps if he knew something about the contents, it would give him some clue as to who the sender was or why she had sent it. Yes, that would be satisfactory.

He began by untying the ribbon, letting it drop to the floor as he drew the paper away from the contents, almost certainly something utterly feminine and inappropriate. What he found himself looking at instead was a single rounded bar of soap, sitting almost coyly atop the remains of the paper and exuding its scent-stronger now that the packaging had been removed-into the confines of the room. Rather than answering any questions, knowing the nature of the parcel had only raised new ones.

Why would someone send him soap? What was more, why would a woman he didn't even know send him soap? Was she mocking him, or worse, making insinuations about his personal hygiene? Should he accept the gift and the accompanying intimations, or should he reject it and run the risk of offending her, if by some chance she hadn't been intending to insinuate anything?

Sighing deeply, he picked up the soap and rolled it about in his hands. Whatever the scent was, it lent a pleasant atmosphere to the room, and he found himself relaxing involuntarily. Perhaps he would keep it after all, he thought. It would be a shame to let it go to waste when it was obviously expensive, and it would be that much more that he wouldn't have to pay for. Besides which, the likelihood of the unknown woman taking offense at her gift being discarded was considerably more than the likelihood of her making insinuations about his bathing habits.

Also, he no longer had the will to get up and do something about it. Likely, someone would come in soon and find him playing with a bar of soap.

"Inspector?"

Speak of the devil. "Yes?" he replied, looking up.

The constable cocked an eyebrow, but if he saw the soap, he chose not to make any comment. "Your prescence is required."

Doubtless for some mind-numbing triviality. He sighed again, setting aside the soap in order to rise and follow on the constable's heels.

When he came back, however, he fully intended to make some investigations of his own into where the soap had come from.


	2. Chapter 2

There is Someone Who Touches My Life (Chapter 2)

Summary: A bar of soap reappears, the identity of the mysterious woman is discovered, and plans are made.

All the years ago, at the Petit-Pipcus convent, if one of the other girls had told Cosette that she would soon know love at first sight, she might have blushed and reminded them that they were in a convent. But now she and her Papa were no longer at the convent, and she had indeed experienced love at first sight. The odd thing was, she had next to no idea who he was.

He was a policeman, that much she did know, and his name was Javert. She had seen him when she and her Papa had been set upon by robbers while out giving alms. It was a memory she cherished already: a girl's voice had shouted "It's Javert!" at the same time as her Papa had shouted her name, and the thieves had tried to scatter. But Javert had been there blocking their path to escape, his face like that of an avenging angel.

"Monsieur, these streets are not safe," he had told her Papa while she had looked on, wanting to speak to him yet unable to for the dryness in her mouth. "But let these vermin beware; we'll see that justice is done."

Then, as soon as Javert had turned his attention to the robbers, her Papa had grabbed her hand and run. She had never gotten to speak to the policeman, and it was a loss she was determined to remedy.

Now, almost two days later, she stood at the garden gate, a small package wrapped in her own writing paper and tied with white ribbon in her hand and a street urchin beckoned close standing on the other side.

"What's your name?" she asked.

The boy shrugged with an air of almost contemptuous nonchalance. "Gavroche."

"Do you know a policeman named Javert, Gavroche?"

This earned her a snort and a grin. "'Course. Everyone on the streets knows Javert."

"Then here." Extending her hand through the gate, she offered him the package. "Take this to him and then come back."

"You got a message or something to give him, too?" Gavroche asked, accepting the parcel and tucking it into his worn clothing.

"A message?"

The boy's eyes gleamed. "Yeah. Don't pretty girls usually have some kinda fancy message to send with packages?"

Cosette smiled. "Not all of them." Crouching down to meet him on an even level, she said, "I'll tell you what. Skip the message, and if you come back here afterwards and tell me everything he says and does, I'll give you something in return."

"A _good_ something?" Gavroche asked doubtfully, frowning at her.

"A good something."

The urchin seemed to think about this for a moment, then shrugged. "Sure. What if he doesn't say or do anything?"

"Then just come back here, and I'll give you something."

Accepting the package, Gavroche remarked, "You know, you're a nice lady."

Cosette smiled. "I hope so."

Almost a half hour later, Cosette heard the gate rattling and rushed out into the garden to find Gavroche holding onto the bars with an impish grin on his face.

"I did what you asked me to!" he exclaimed.

"What did he say?"

The urchin shrugged, his grin melting into a frown. "Just asked who had given me the package."

"And did you tell him?"

"Can't very well, seeing as I don't even know who you are. I just told him that a nice lady had given it to me and told me to deliver it to one Inspector Javert, and like I told you, everyone 'round these parts knows that name, so it was easy. I guess he must've been looking for something more, 'cause his face went all dark and moody, and he told me to get out. So that's what I did, and that's why I'm here now."

Cosette frowned, falling into deep thought. This was proving more difficult than she had thought. If Javert wouldn't accept her gifts, then she would have to... "Did he accept the gift?"

"I haven't got it anymore, have I?"

So he _would_ accept her gifts. Still, it might be better to try something different next time. Yes, she could try something, perhaps a little more personal. But until then... She looked down at Gavroche. "Thank you for your help," she told him, pressing a five-franc piece into his small hand. "Could you come back tomorrow night, around this time?"

The boy smiled broadly. "Sure. Us on the streets, we're almost always free. Don't have no schedules or nothing. 'Least, nothing we can't change quick enough."

"Good. Come back then, and I'll have something for you to take and something else too."

"Sure." Pulling away from the garden gate, he vanished into the darkness.

Staring the way he had gone, Cosette smiled thoughtfully to herself and turned back towards the house. Now, she thought, to arrange her parcel for tomorrow night.


End file.
